1941–42 Boston Bruins season
The 1941–42 Boston Bruins season was the Bruins' 18th season in the NHL. The Bruins missed finishing first for the fifth straight year by 3 points, largely due to losing the Kraut Line of Milt Schmidt, Bobby Bauer and Woody Dumart due to being drafted for war service. Regular season The Bruins home opener on November 16, 1941 saw the players presented with Stanley Cup medals by Boston mayor Maurice Tobin. On December 9, 1941, the Chicago Blackhawks-Boston Bruins game would be delayed for over a half hour as United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared that America was at war. Hockey’s Book of Firsts, p.71, James Duplacey, JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9 The Kraut Line played their last game before leaving for war service on February 10, 1942. The line scored 11 points in a 8-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. In a very classy gesture, the Habs carried them off the ice. Final standings Game log Playoffs Boston Bruins 2, Chicago Blackhawks 1 The Blackhawks were the first team the Bruins ever met in the playoffs, in 1927. The Bruins defeated the Hawks then and repeated it in 1942, two games to one. Game 1 was a close affair with Roy Conacher scoring for the Bruins in the first period and Max Bentley tying the game with less than two minutes left. Des Smith won the game for the Bruins, 6:51 into overtime. Game 2 was dominated by the Hawks who scored goals in the second period by Bill Mosienko, Alex Kaleta and Bill Carse before George Allen added another in the third period for a 4-0 win. Pete LoPresti earned the shutout. Game 3 saw the Bruins stake a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Gordie Bruce. Max Bentley cut the lead in half until Jack McGill scored. Bill Mosienko made the game close but the Bruins prevailed 3-2 to win the series. Detroit Red Wings 2, Boston Bruins 0 After defeating the Red Wings in the 1941 Stanley Cup finals, the Wings got their revenge on the Bruins, eliminating them in the semi-finals 2 games to 0. Game 1 saw the Wings take commanding 3-0 and 4-1 leads and despite a Hat trick from the Bruins Jack McGill, they'd take game 1 by a 6-4 score. Game 2 resulted in a 3-1 win for the Wings led by a pair of goals from Joe Carveth, eliminating the Bruins. The Wings would lose the Finals to the Toronto Maple Leafs and be the first team in NHL history to lose a seven game series when winning the first 3 games. Player stats Regular season ;Scoring ;Goaltending Playoffs ;Scoring ;Goaltending Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; Awards and records * Vezina Trophy: Frank Brimsek (2nd win) * Frank Brimsek, Goaltender, NHL First Team All-Star Transactions *Busher Jackson is purchased from the New York Americans and Dutch Hiller from the Detroit Red Wings. *Phil Hergesheimer is purchased from the Chicago Blackhawks. Game Ads 41-42NHLExhBosBruOttawaGameAd.jpg|Exhibition @ Ottawa See also *1941–42 NHL season References Category:Boston Bruins seasons Category:1941 in hockey Category:1942 in hockey